Published: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 12:03 p.m.

The sound of glass shattering, the feel of broken glass hitting him on the head and beer splashing his face was what one man recalled Monday morning during the second-degree murder trial of Robert Debiase.

Je'hean Sharpe, a friend of Debiase, said Monday his friend was defending himself during a fight at a bonfire party in May 2007 that left one man dead.

Christopher Lien, 26, died as a result of injuries he sustained during the fight, and Debiase has been charged with second-degree murder.

Debiase, 26, of Tennessee and originally from Pisgah Forest, was charged after the incident in 2007.

Last week, the prosecution presented evidence and witnesses in their case, contending that Debiase murdered Lien, according to opening statements made by Assistant District Attorney Doug Mundy.

Debiase's attorney, Will Cathey, began presenting evidence and witnesses Monday morning. He contends his client was defending himself and that Lien's death was an accident.

Sharpe testified that Debiase had been talking to Lien's girlfriend, Concetta Cafaro, during the party May 26.

"What was the tone of the conversation Bobby has with Concetta?" Cathey asked.

"It was light," Sharpe told the jury. "I just remember him asking her if she wanted to smoke a bowl (marijuana)."

Sharpe testified the conversation suddenly took another turn, and Lien became angry that Debiase was talking to Cafaro.

"Bobby (Debiase) tried to explain that nothing was happening between he and Concetta," Sharpe said. "I recall the argument picked up and it started getting out of hand."

Sharpe testified that he felt beer and glass hit him after Debiase struck Lien with a beer bottle.

"Did you see him (Debiase) jab at Mr. Lien?" Cathey asked.

"No, they went into the fire (after Debiase hit Lien)," Sharpe said.

During the prosecution's cross-examination of Sharpe, they asked him questions concerning a statement he gave to authorities soon after the incident.

"Didn't you tell an officer that Bobby took off his coat and said he was going to whip Mr. Lien?" Mundy asked.

"That's not what I told the detective," Sharpe said.

Sharpe explained that he made his statement and went back over his statement and made a few corrections to what he told the detective, but that those corrections were not reflected in the statement he saw today.

The defense's second witness, JR Turner, told the jury that Lien hit Debiase before Debiase hit Lien with the beer bottle.

"I saw Bobby and Concetta talking and about five minutes later, Mr. Lien approached and got into a confrontation with Bobby," Turner said. "He punched Bobby in the chest."

Turner told the jury that he walked over to see what was going on and Debiase tried to walk away.

"I got in front of Chris (Lien) and he told me to get out of his way," Turner testified. "Mr. Lien pushed me out of the way and started charging at Mr. Debiase. I fell back and I saw a beer bottle come over my shoulder and hit Chris in the neck. They started tussling and the fight kept going until they fell in the fire."

Debiase's father

Debiase's father, Donald, testified Monday afternoon that he received a phone call in the early morning hours of May 26, 2007, from his son Roger telling him that Robert Debiase had been involved in an accident.

"I got out of bed and tried to get in contact with Robert," Donald Debiase testified. "We couldn't get Robert, but his girlfriend called about 10 minutes laster and said she was bringing Robert to our house."

"Can you describe how your son looked when he arrived?" Cathey asked.

"In shock," Donald Debiase said. "He told me he was attacked and reacted. He told me he had a beer bottle in his hand and he hit the man over the top of the head. He told me they continued to fight and tumbled into the fire. When he saw blood, he gave his shirt to make a tourniquet and yelled for someone to call 911. I told him we needed to call the sheriff's office, and he did."

"Have you ever seen Bobby (Robert Debiase) in a situation like this?" Cathey asked.

"No, nothing like this," Donald Debiase said. "This has been a nightmare."

<p>The sound of glass shattering, the feel of broken glass hitting him on the head and beer splashing his face was what one man recalled Monday morning during the second-degree murder trial of Robert Debiase.</p><p>Je'hean Sharpe, a friend of Debiase, said Monday his friend was defending himself during a fight at a bonfire party in May 2007 that left one man dead.</p><p>Christopher Lien, 26, died as a result of injuries he sustained during the fight, and Debiase has been charged with second-degree murder.</p><p>Debiase, 26, of Tennessee and originally from Pisgah Forest, was charged after the incident in 2007.</p><p>Last week, the prosecution presented evidence and witnesses in their case, contending that Debiase murdered Lien, according to opening statements made by Assistant District Attorney Doug Mundy.</p><p>Debiase's attorney, Will Cathey, began presenting evidence and witnesses Monday morning. He contends his client was defending himself and that Lien's death was an accident.</p><p>Sharpe testified that Debiase had been talking to Lien's girlfriend, Concetta Cafaro, during the party May 26.</p><p>"What was the tone of the conversation Bobby has with Concetta?" Cathey asked.</p><p>"It was light," Sharpe told the jury. "I just remember him asking her if she wanted to smoke a bowl (marijuana)."</p><p>Sharpe testified the conversation suddenly took another turn, and Lien became angry that Debiase was talking to Cafaro.</p><p>"Bobby (Debiase) tried to explain that nothing was happening between he and Concetta," Sharpe said. "I recall the argument picked up and it started getting out of hand."</p><p>Sharpe testified that he felt beer and glass hit him after Debiase struck Lien with a beer bottle.</p><p>"Did you see him (Debiase) jab at Mr. Lien?" Cathey asked.</p><p>"No, they went into the fire (after Debiase hit Lien)," Sharpe said.</p><p>During the prosecution's cross-examination of Sharpe, they asked him questions concerning a statement he gave to authorities soon after the incident.</p><p>"Didn't you tell an officer that Bobby took off his coat and said he was going to whip Mr. Lien?" Mundy asked.</p><p>"That's not what I told the detective," Sharpe said.</p><p>Sharpe explained that he made his statement and went back over his statement and made a few corrections to what he told the detective, but that those corrections were not reflected in the statement he saw today.</p><p>The defense's second witness, JR Turner, told the jury that Lien hit Debiase before Debiase hit Lien with the beer bottle.</p><p>"I saw Bobby and Concetta talking and about five minutes later, Mr. Lien approached and got into a confrontation with Bobby," Turner said. "He punched Bobby in the chest."</p><p>Turner told the jury that he walked over to see what was going on and Debiase tried to walk away.</p><p>"I got in front of Chris (Lien) and he told me to get out of his way," Turner testified. "Mr. Lien pushed me out of the way and started charging at Mr. Debiase. I fell back and I saw a beer bottle come over my shoulder and hit Chris in the neck. They started tussling and the fight kept going until they fell in the fire."</p><p>Debiase's father</p><p>Debiase's father, Donald, testified Monday afternoon that he received a phone call in the early morning hours of May 26, 2007, from his son Roger telling him that Robert Debiase had been involved in an accident.</p><p>"I got out of bed and tried to get in contact with Robert," Donald Debiase testified. "We couldn't get Robert, but his girlfriend called about 10 minutes laster and said she was bringing Robert to our house."</p><p>"Can you describe how your son looked when he arrived?" Cathey asked.</p><p>"In shock," Donald Debiase said. "He told me he was attacked and reacted. He told me he had a beer bottle in his hand and he hit the man over the top of the head. He told me they continued to fight and tumbled into the fire. When he saw blood, he gave his shirt to make a tourniquet and yelled for someone to call 911. I told him we needed to call the sheriff's office, and he did."</p><p>"Have you ever seen Bobby (Robert Debiase) in a situation like this?" Cathey asked.</p><p>"No, nothing like this," Donald Debiase said. "This has been a nightmare."</p>